Some 100 days after being sworn in as prime minister-designation, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has finally understood that, left to his own devices, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will never transfer office in November 2021.
Seeking to be the bigger man, Gantz still said he would not force early elections. He sought to envelop his political surrender with rectitude, touting it as an act of public consideration, but Netanyahu stole even that modicum of success from him by being first to announce he would back the bill deferring the vote on the state budget, thus avoiding automatic snap elections.
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After three consecutive election campaigns, the last thing the public wants it to make another trip to the ballot box. But if the alternative is the current government, it is doubtful that an additional 120 days will be its saving grace. If anything, the bill allowing it for more breathing room only placed it on life support.
It is very clear that the tensions between Netanyahu and Gantz are getting progressively worse. Blue and White's glaring support of the anti-Netanyahu protests and Netanyahu's ongoing accusations that his coalition patterns are, in fact, trying to topple him clearly illustrate that deferring the budget only defers the end of the government.
The next coalition crisis is already no doubt brewing, and the chances of the rotation agreement taking place are incredibly slim.
Currently, both Netanyahu and Gantz are underperforming in the polls. This was most likely a major factor in their decision to keep relatively calm and carry on.
Those waiting in the wing to take a bite out of Likud and Blue and White's power – namely Yeah Atid leader Yair Lapid and Yamina chief Naftali Bennett – are biding their time, knowing that it may very well come three months from now. Both are eyeing a premiership bid and the coalition's lengthy demise only plays in their favor.
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